Leadership Update

Kristen Carcone, TFD Co-Founder, is pursuing new adventures!

Chantelle Good is TFD’s new Co-Artistic Director!

TOES FOR DANCE was co-founded in 2012 through the shared imagination, ambition, and leadership of Kristen Carcone and David Norsworthy. As announced in March 2024, Kristen has now departed the organization to invest her full focus and attention on her flourishing directing and choreography career. We are so excited that Chantelle Good has stepped into the role of Co-Artistic Director!

Photo by Alvin Collantes.

Kristen's vision, heart, and artistry have shaped TFD's direction and success. Supported by her co-leadership, we've produced 268 workshop and performance events, including 5387 classes taught with a total participation count of over 13,000, and 128 performances for an audience count of over 12,000 people cumulatively. Her impact as an Artistic Director, Teacher, Facilitator, and Choreographer through TFD has been immense; creating new pathways of professional opportunity for over 300 artists and mentoring countless students through her inclusive, compassionate, positive approach. We love you Kristen! Thank you for your friendship, your insights, and your creativity! You have taught us all so much.

To the TFD community,
I want to say THANK YOU for a beautiful and magical 12 years. Thank you to every student, teacher, assistant, performer, choreographer, studio owner, parent, board member, donor, funder, audience member, stage manager, production manager, lighting designer, photographer, videographer, musician, for over a decade of “sharing art and connecting people”. Collaborating and co-creating with each and every one of you under the umbrella of TOES FOR DANCE is a gift I will cherish forever. It truly has been a privilege to grow and create, learn and unlearn alongside you. From entrances and exits to Fresh Dance Intensive, from 4-7-8 to Dinner is Served, TOES FOR DANCE has always supported me in my evolution as an artist and educator and I couldn’t be more grateful.
Huge heartfelt thanks to Co-Founder/Co-Director, duet partner, and forever friend David Norsworthy. We have been working together for 17 years (17 YEARS!!!) Who would have thought this idea we came up with in the summer of 2012 would have led to us working with over 25,000 participants, awarding $314k need and merit based scholarships, and creating over 2000 paid opportunities for artists. I’m so proud of what we have built.
During TFD’s first ever teacher-training program I shared my favourite motto - STAY CURIOUS. Curiosity has led me into a new, exciting chapter in New York serving as Associate Choreographer for the new Broadway musical adaptation of, The Outsiders. Additionally, I’m in rehearsals as Contributing Choreographer/Associate Director for a new large scale immersive show from the producers of Sleep No More.
Though my relationship to TOES FOR DANCE is shifting, my belief and support in the organization remains in full force and I can’t wait to see what David, Artistic Associate Chantelle Good, and the entire TFD team come up with next!
Thank you TOES FOR DANCE for a life changing experience. I am forever grateful.
With love,
Kristen
"As past and current members of the TOES FOR DANCE Board of Directors, we want to express our love and excitement for Kristen. We have had the privilege of being a part of Kristen’s journey along with working with someone who is the total package – a talented performer, creator, producer and educator. Kristen’s passion infiltrates everyone who is fortunate enough to know her. Not only did we get to work with and learn from a professional, we gained a life-long friend. Kristen may be departing TFD but we will remain connected and continue to celebrate her ongoing successes."
- Susan Colbert-Wright, Secretary and former Board Chair on behalf of the TFD Board of Directors

Photo by Jon Taylor.

Chantelle began her journey with TFD as a student of Fresh Dance Intensive, and soon after started assisting and then teaching for Fresh. She was appointed as a TFD Artistic Associate in 2019, and was commissioned to create a solo for the inaugural Common Ground Dance Festival in 2021 in addition to taking on the role of Festival Co-Host. In 2022 she co-facilitated our Ignite Movement Lab program, in 2023 she became the Program Director for Fresh, and she will now co-lead the organization alongside Co-Artistic and Executive Director, David Norsworthy. We’re so grateful to you Chantelle, for your continued passion and dedication to TFD and our evolving future! Welcome to your new role!

“I’m so thrilled to be taking on the role of Co-Artistic Director this upcoming season. TOES FOR DANCE has been a part of my life for almost 15 years, during which I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing and experiencing the development of various programs. When I first encountered TFD as a student at Fresh, I was immediately drawn to the welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. There was an emphasis on bringing your full self into the space, moving with a sense of curiosity, and building community through artistic exchange. These values have always stuck with me throughout my professional career and continue to be a driving force in my creative endeavours. As I’ve stepped into more leadership positions over the past couple of years, David and I have been able to strengthen and deepen our working relationship. We have developed a mutual trust and respect that gives me the utmost confidence in our collaboration as Co-Artistic Directors. I am energized by the opportunity to work towards a shared vision, one that responds to the needs of the community and expands the landscape of public offerings. I look forward to diving deeper into this meaningful work and continuing to create a positive impact through our programming. Here’s to a new chapter of TFD!” - Chantelle Good
"Observing and supporting Chantelle's evolving artistry and leadership through TFD over the past decade and a half has been a true joy. I am consistently inspired by her passion, dedication, grounded presence, and artistic brilliance. I couldn't be more excited to co-lead the organization with her for this next chapter. We've already started a meaningful, ongoing dialogue about the future of TFD, based on our shared values and dreams - and I cannot wait to see how the organization and our programming will evolve to reflect our co-leadership. Thank you Chantelle, for your friendship, trust, enthusiasm, and ambition. Let's go!" - David Norsworthy